Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily roundup of significant, underreported, and intriguing news stories from Minnesota.
Annie’s Revival: The Return of a Dinkytown Icon
Cast your mind back to the tumultuous year of 2020 – a time of closures and re-openings. While many establishments managed to reopen their doors, some, like the beloved Annie’s Parlour in Dinkytown, faced an uncertain fate. After a period of dormancy, Annie’s is gradually resuming operations, offering takeout malts and milkshakes since about a month ago, with plans for a full reopening on the horizon. Delays in renovations initiated during the shutdown, compounded by the unfortunate passing of the esteemed Minneapolis restaurateur John Rimarcik in December, prolonged the process. Now, John’s sons Tony and Tom have taken up the mantle, with Tony expressing his satisfaction in reviving the legacy his father established during their childhood.
Proposal for Social Media Earnings Regulation Sparks Controversy
In a realm where the phrase “legislation aims to protect children” often conceals contentious intentions, Rep. Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) has introduced a bill that could redefine the landscape for children featured in “mommy run accounts.” The proposed legislation seeks to afford these children protections akin to those of child actors. Under this bill, parents would be required to allocate 30% of the earnings generated from social media accounts featuring their children into a trust fund, accessible to the child upon reaching 18. Furthermore, children would gain the authority, starting at age 13, to request the removal of content they appear in, signaling a potential shift in social media regulations.
Unveiling St. Paul’s Prehistoric Past: The Ancient Glacial Lake Discovery
Venture into the depths of prehistoric St. Paul with geologist Greg Brick, whose research has unveiled traces of an ancient glacial lake dating back 10,000 years in the Highland Park region. This geological phenomenon, reminiscent of the forces that sculpted the Minnesota River Valley, paints a vivid picture of a bygone era. Brick’s findings, likened to the unearthing of a colossal beaver skeleton in Hidden Falls Park in 1938, offer a glimpse into a time when St. Paul was devoid of human inhabitants, featuring cascading waterfalls and colossal beavers roaming the land.
Pickleball Proliferation: Downtown’s Unlikely Sporting Evolution
Following the recent buzz surrounding Racket, Jay Boller’s musings on urban revitalization sparked intriguing developments in downtown Minneapolis. While some of Boller’s propositions, such as converting parking lots into pickleball courts, raised eyebrows, a recent announcement suggests that the tides may be turning. Planned renovations at LaSalle Plaza include the establishment of an indoor pickleball court within the former Rock Bottom Brewery space, with potential for expansion. Could it be that the city is heeding the unconventional advice from sources like Racket? The signs certainly point in that direction.